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News in Maplewood, NJ

IdeaMensch · Maplewood, NJ

Peter Wolpert

grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, the kind of kid who was always outside. He played basketball and tennis, fished whenever he got the chance, and somewhere along the way started spending time in the kitchen too, following recipes and then changing them to see what happened. He went south for college, earning an undergraduate degree in Business Management from the University of Miami, then stayed on for an MBA in Marketing and Finance. The chemical business was already part of his life before he had a diploma. His father and grandfather had both worked in it, and when Peter joined City Chemical LLC, he was stepping into something that already had two generations behind it. That was more than 47 years ago.

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Military Times · East Rutherford, NJ

Nearby: East Rutherford, NJ

Navy unveils special warfare-themed uniforms for upcoming Army-Navy game

The U.S. Navy released images of the football uniforms that Midshipmen players will wear in the 127th Army-Navy game, courtesy of Under Armour. The threads pay homage to the history of sailors who served in the branch’s Naval special warfare component, honoring SEALs, special warfare combatant-craft crewmen and Underwater Demolition Teams. “From the earliest Navy Frogmen of World War II to today’s highly trained SEALs and SWCC operators, the uniform pays tribute to generations of service members whose courage, determination, innovation and sacrifice have helped define Naval Special Warfare,” the Navy said in a release. The uniform’s dark blue helmet is emblazoned with images of a Navy SEAL trident, SWCC master warboat and bone frog, which sits on top of the headpiece and represents the World War II-era Underwater Demolition Team frogmen. The jersey’s sleeves feature a version of the Navy Working Uniform Type II camouflage pattern, first rolled out for Naval special warfare operators.

El Observador · East Rutherford, NJ

Nearby: East Rutherford, NJ

Whether it’s banning books or preventing Macklemore from touring, silencing artists often backfires

If the goal was to silence rapper Macklemore by preventing him from touring with singer Ed Sheeran, it clearly backfired. Macklemore delivered a monologue in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and performed his pro-Palestinian protest song “Hind’s Hall” during a Sept. 4, 2026, concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he was an opening act for Sheeran. Ten days later, Macklemore was dropped from the tour after Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium – a future stop on Sheeran’s “Loop” tour – thought the 43-year-old rapper had crossed a line. In a Sept. 14 Instagram post, Macklemore detailed how Kraft had pressured Sheeran to drop Macklemore from the tour and had convinced other stadium owners to prevent him from performing at their venues. Yet the ensuing media coverage sent the rapper’s profile soaring. There was little to no interest in Macklemore’s Sept.

Farmington Daily Times · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

At Sing Sing prison, incarcerated men get preview of new PBS documentary on nation’s justice system

OSSINING, New York (AP) — As the lights dimmed inside the chapel at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, around 30 incarcerated men sat scattered across the pews, waiting to preview a new docuseries on the history of the nation’s criminal justice system. Our Lady of Hope chapel was soon abuzz with discussion, as some learned new things about an American institution with which they already have a great deal of personal experience. The four-part series, “Crime and Punishment in America,” is set to premiere Monday on PBS. It spends eight hours tracing how the justice system evolved, from the colonial period to present day, and viewers get to hear from legal scholars, formerly incarcerated people, victims’ families and corrections officers. The U.S. maintains the world’s largest incarcerated population, with nearly two million people behind bars in prisons and jails.

Times Leader · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Hunt for clues in deadly Brooklyn building collapse will take time

NEW YORK — Investigators began what could be a long search for the cause of a Brooklyn apartment building collapse that killed eight people as the fire department ended rescue operations Thursday after the last victim was freed from the wreckage. The three-story building gave way while construction workers were digging Wednesday afternoon at an adjacent lot, causing New York City’s mayor to order inspections at about 100 building sites involving companies related to the project. “If there is anyone, or any entity, operating in this city that bears responsibility for what happened, we will hold them fully accountable,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during a news conference. Investigators have not determined what caused the collapse. Two children, ages 9 and 10, were killed along with adults ranging in age from 22 to 31, according to the New York City Police Department. There were also 18 injured, including four firefighters, Mamdani said.

Arizona Business Daily · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

98 H-2B workers approved for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting employers at New York worksites in fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026

There were 98 H-2B worker approvals for employers classified in Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting with worksites recorded in New York in fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. These approvals were for all 98 decided workers, resulting in a 100% approval rate. Six petitioners were named in these filings. These figures count workers represented in initial approval and denial decisions made by USCIS on H-2B petitions and are not counts of petitions, visa issuances or individual people. The worksite location comes from the worksite recorded on the Labor Department certification, not the employer's address, and the industry refers to the two-digit NAICS sector describing the employer, not the worker's occupation. The counts cover fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026, a partial year. New York's approval rate for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting employers was higher than the national same-sector rate of 99%.

St. Louis American · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Toukie Smith, model and ‘227’ actress, dies at 74

Toukie Smith, the model and actress known for her role on the NBC sitcom 227, died Nov. 4 in New York. She was 74. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith’s twin sons, Airyn and Julian, announced that she died in a hospital following a yearslong battle with multiple sclerosis. Smith joined the cast of 227 in 1989 as Eva Rawley and remained with the popular sitcom through its final season. She appeared alongside Marla Gibbs, Regina King and Jackée Harry. Born Doris Smith in Philadelphia, Smith launched her modeling career in the early 1970s and went on to work with some of fashion’s most celebrated designers, including Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Issey Miyake and Patrick Kelly. Her work appeared in publications including Ebony, Vogue, Seventeen and Cosmopolitan. Bloomingdale’s named her Model of the Year in 1978. Smith was also the sister of late fashion pioneer Willi Smith, founder of the influential WilliWear label.

Washington Blade · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Authorities identify VIDA Fitness shooter

Authorities have identified the man who they said killed one person and injured four others at the VIDA Fitness in Logan Circle on Thursday. NBC Washington cited police sources who identified the shooter as Dr. Matt Lambert, a board-certified emergency physician who lived in the Metropole on 15th Street, N.W. His professional website said he has “over two decades of clinical experience.” It lists previous work at Bellevue Hospital in New York and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. “Dr. Lambert splits his time between the mountains of West Virginia and the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.,” his website states. Possible motive emerges Lambert was reportedly “in active litigation” with his building’s homeowners association, and killed the building manager while he was at VIDA Fitness, which is on the Metropole’s ground floor. Authorities confirmed Lambert died by suicide in a 7th floor apartment in the Metropole after the shooting.

Rockland County Times · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

School Employee Arrested for Posession of a Handgun on School Premises

On November 5, 2026, at approximately 10:00 PM, the Stony Point Police Department received information that a school employee was in possession of a handgun on the grounds of Farley Elementary School earlier in the day. The handgun was inside of a bag that the employee brought to the school for their shift. During the investigation, Detectives interviewed the employee at their residence and recovered the bag that contained the handgun. The handgun was legally owned by the employee who possesses a valid Rockland County Pistol Permit (Possess on Premise only). However, possession of a firearm on school grounds is illegal in New York State regardless of whether the person is employed by the school district. The employee was placed under arrest, processed at the station, and arraigned at the Justice Court. The defendant is being held on $15,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond and will be transported to Rockland County Jail.

Air Force Times · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

3 Iranian-backed men indicted in attempted plot on RAF Fairford

Federal prosecutors allege that an Iranian terrorist proxy group’s commander, alongside two other men, assisted in orchestrating the suspected terror plot on a United Kingdom military base from jail while awaiting trial on other pending terrorism charges. From jail in New York, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national, allegedly coordinated with Mohammad Ali al-Hassani and Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iraqi and Iranian national, respectively, to organize the recent failed terror attack on RAF Fairford, according to a recent Department of Justice release. The three men allegedly conspired to commit nearly 20 terrorist attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the U.S. in the name of two Iran-aligned terrorist networks that are designated by the U.S. as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, per an eight-count indictment.

QNS · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Milford Graves banged the drums hard in South Jamaica

Marvin Mellgenon Graves was born poor in Gloucester County, Va., on June 4, 1911. He heard he could get work as a porter in New York. He met 20-year-old Gonive Williams and they got married in Queens in March 1940. They made their home at 108-54 159th St. in South Jamaica, Apt. 1C. [caption id="attachment_628778" align="alignleft" width="259"] Jazz percussionist and polymath Milford Graves. Photo by Andy Newcombe via Wikipedia[/caption] The couple had only one child, Milford, born on Aug. 20, 1941. Dad Marvin landed a good job as the personal chauffeur and aide to Dr. Arnold Nathan of Kew Gardens. Milford was a prodigy, playing drums at age 3. He added congas to his skill set by age 8 while also studying timbales and African drumming. In his early 20s, he was leading Latin/Afro Cuban ensembles alongside greats such as Cal Tjader and Herbie Mann.

The Brooklyn Paper · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Red Cross, city agencies offer relief after deadly Flatbush building collapse

As residents grapple with the aftermath of Wednesday evening's deadly building collapse in Flatbush, the American Red Cross and New York City Emergency Management are continuing to connect affected households with emergency assistance. The organizations opened a reception center at the Flatbush YMCA, located at 1401 Flatbush Ave., after the collapse of a three-story building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. on Nov. 11. The center will remain open Thursday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., allowing displaced residents to connect with government agencies and nonprofit organizations for additional support. [caption id="attachment_252077" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Eight people have died and dozens were displaced by the collapse. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell[/caption] Red Cross of Greater New York personnel will be available to register residents for assistance and provide emotional support through the organization's Disaster Mental Health Team. As of 6 a.m.

Black Star News · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Dorill Initiative Gala 2026: Disrupting Through Art

By Ann Cooper “Art is human development. Art is public health. We do not have human development without Art. You cannot spell earth without Art. You do not have a heart, without Art”. This is the mantra-like philosophy of Tareake Dorill Ramos, Founder & CEO of Dorill Initiative. (Left to right) Malik Yoba, Christina D. Eskridge, DaQuane Cherry, Paul Tazewell and Tareake Dorill Ramos Ramos was celebrating Dorill Initiative’s 8th Annual “Disrupt Through Art Gala” on Thursday, October 29, at The Rooftop of Manny Cantor Center on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. With the theme “A Love Letter to New York City, 22 neighborhoods, one story” the event was Dorill Initiative’s celebration of what art-programs can accomplish and a fundraiserwith the goal of reaching one million dollars by December 31, 2026. Dorill is the Ramos family’s living legacy- a multigenerational commitment to the belief that art, community and collective action can build something that endures far beyond any one person.

Black Star News · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Javits Frimpong’s Family Attending Arraignment Of 17-Year-Old Murder Suspect

New York, NY (November 12, 2026) – The family of Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old who was shot and killed while walking to school in the Bronx last month, will attend the arraignment this afternoon of the 17-year-old charged with his murder. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, will join them at the Bronx Hall of Justice. Javits Frimpong, 15, a tenth-grade student at The DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx, was shot on his way to school on the morning of Thursday, October 29th. He came to the United States from Ghana last year to live with his father and hoped to become a doctor, he had only been in the United States for a year. The family has retained civil rights Attorney Ben Crump to represent them as the investigation continues. On Wednesday, the NYPD announced the arrest of a 17-year-old, who has been charged with murder. Police are still searching for two additional individuals in connection with the shooting. Javits’ family has stood alongside Rev.

NYS Music · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Grace Potter Announces 2027 Tour with 4 New York Stops

Grace Potter and The Trespassers have announced a 2027 tour with four shows in New York. The tour celebrates Potter’s seventh studio album Trespasser and will run from Jan. 14 through March 27. Potter has announced performances at the Kodak Center in Rochester on Jan. 21, Capitol Theater in Rome on Jan. 22, Beacon Theatre in Manhattan on Jan. 23 and Patchogue Theater in Patchogue, New York on Jan. 24. The 10 track album, produced by Potter’s husband and long time collaborator Eric Valentine who has previously worked with artists like Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer and Slash, follows a cast of characters through fictional narratives shaped by Potter’s eight trips from her home in Topanga Canyon to her part-time residence in her native Vermont. Potter has made the trip eight times in the last five years, mostly traveling solo. This time, Potter began her cross-country journey in Topanga with Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Out · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Everything we know about 'Insomniac City,' Jonathan Bailey's new gay age-gap romance

Jonathan Bailey broke our hearts with the beautiful yet tragic love story in Fellow Travelers and now he’s set to do it again with his new gay romance Insomniac City. Bailey is taking on the role of photographer and author Bill Hayes in a drama based on his memoir about falling in love with famed neurologist Oliver Sacks, a man 30 years his senior, whom he ultimately lost to cancer. The gay romance will focus on Hayes’ beautiful age-gap, later-in-life relationship and his love affair with the city of New York. The film is still in the early stages, but the director has been selected, and the lead roles have been cast, so more information about the film is likely to follow. Who is starring in 'Insomniac City'? Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey is starring as Bill Hayes, opposite Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner Bill Nighy (Love Actually), who will play his lover Oliver Sacks. Hayes and Dominic Cooke (On Chisel Beach), who is also directing the film, will co-write the adaptation of his memoir.

RESIDENT™ | A Luxury Lifestyle Magazine · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

See New York’s 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade from These 4 Luxury Hotels

The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place on Thursday, November 26, 2026, with the broadcast beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.The parade travels from Central Park West through Columbus Circle and Central Park South, then down Sixth Avenue toward Herald Square.Mandarin Oriental, 1 Hotel Central Park, Warwick New York, and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park are located directly along the parade route..Thanksgiving in New York City is an occasion worth planning a trip around, particularly in 2026, when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade celebrates its historic 100th procession. First held in 1924, the parade has become one of the city's most beloved holiday traditions, with only three interruptions during World War II.

New York Observer · New York, NY

Nearby: New York, NY

Private Members’ Clubs Reveal What Money Can’t Buy in Luxury

Not long ago, one of our members was applying to a well-known private club. The fee was never the issue. She had already secured her first referral from one of the club’s founding members, but the club asked for a second, and that is exactly where money loses its leverage. I knew a business contact I was sure she would get along with, since they shared a background in media. I introduced them, they hit it off, and he agreed to become her second referrer. Nothing about it was transactional. It worked because the connection was real. Early in my hospitality career, at the Cipriani Group and The Box, I saw what status used to look like in New York: bottle service at the club everyone was trying to get into. Today, the settings people value most are far quieter. They are private members’ clubs where people can have real conversations behind closed doors, knowing who else is in the room and trusting that what is said there stays there.

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